‘Welcome To The Darkness’ Movie Review: jovial UK rockers’ rise, fall and rebirth makes for an endearing documentary.
★★★★
The Darkness rocketed to fame on their 2004 debut album Permission to Land, buoyed by glam influenced hits like I Believe In A Thing Called Love and Growing On Me, infused with their unique wit and over-the-top showmanship.
The group, led by charismatic frontman and lead guitarist Justin Hawkins, played massive festivals and seemed unstoppable, only to implode after their sophomore album, due to Hawkins’ struggle with fame and drugs, marking one of the quickest rise and falls in musical history.
But that was merely the first act for the British outfit. Their 2023 documentary Welcome to The Darkness (which finally makes its U.S. debut on April 15, 2025), chronicles the band, beginning with their 2012 reunion and quest for renewed relevance.
The film, directed by British photographer Simon Emmett, focuses largely on Hawkins and his brother, rhythm guitarist Dan Hawkins, who following their split went years without speaking, only to have a now sober Justin make amends, eventually reforming the band (Dan mentions Justin considered the breakup a “hiatus,” a proclamation he failed to relay to his band mates at the time).
The documentary sees the group adjusting to a musical landscape that shifted substantially from the early aughts, and their initial struggles to regain their footing, Their kickoff show is at a house party, yet the band play like they’ve filled a stadium.
This is followed by a casino gig where Justin berates the crowd for not showing the proper level of enthusiasm. Gradually they begin playing bigger shows and their confidence grows (even if Dan laments no longer being an arena act).
Welcome to The Darkness also focuses on the group’s search for a new drummer, eventually hiring Rufus Taylor (son of Queen drummer Roger Taylor), who play his first gig after learning the setlist a few hours prior. He proves an ideal choice, giving the band renewed vigor.
Over the course of several albums and tours, The Darkness enters a new phase, with a more modest profile but a diehard fanbase. This is evidenced during the video shoot for The Last Of Our Kind, which sees the group interacting with their fans, who also cameo in the video. The affection between band and fan is truly mutual.
Their trademark humor remains intact, which becomes therapeutic during Dan’s bout with testicular cancer (he is in remission), and Justin’s vocal cord surgery, which threatened the existence of the band.
Thankfully his helium-fueled falsetto still soars, and Welcome To The Darkness makes a fervent case that The Darkness’s musical legacy is far from finished. In fact, the group have a new album, Dreams On Toast, due next month.
Welcome To The Darkness is available for pre-order on blu-ray and digital.